Laboratory Manager

Blackbook Recruitment; Sunshine Coast Regional; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Development opportunities

Collaborative culture

Cross-site leadership

Strategic quality initiatives

Job summary

Blackbook Recruitment is assisting a highly regarded Australian food manufacturer on the Sunshine Coast to appoint a Laboratory Manager. You will lead laboratory operations across multiple sites, ensuring accurate testing, GMP/QA compliance, and timely delivery of insights that support product quality and business performance.

You will manage a small laboratory team, oversee accreditation activities, drive continuous improvement, and serve as the key technical contact for external regulatory and

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualifications in Microbiology or a related scientific discipline.
• Extensive laboratory experience within a food, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, or similar regulated environment.
• Demonstrated leadership experience managing and developing technical teams.
• Strong knowledge of laboratory quality systems, accreditation standards, and compliance requirements.
• Experience managing audits and regulatory relationships.

Responsibilities

• Managing laboratory operations across multiple locations.
• Leading and developing a team to ensure effective coverage and performance.
• Maintaining and strengthening laboratory quality management systems.
• Ensuring compliance with testing, sampling, calibration, and laboratory procedures.
• Managing NATA accreditation requirements and external audits.
• Identifying risks, investigating non-conformances, and implementing corrective actions.

Skills

Leadership

Team management

Quality systems

Regulatory relationships

Continuous improvement

Education

Tertiary qualifications in Microbiology or related

Job description

The Company

This highly succesful Australian food manufacturer has a strong reputation for quality, innovation, and operational excellence. Operating a complex multi-site production network, the organisation supplies products to domestic and international markets and continues to invest in capability, systems, and people. The business offers a collaborative culture where technical expertise is valued and continuous improvement is encouraged.

The Role

The Laboratory Manager will lead laboratory operations across multiple sites, ensuring the delivery of accurate, timely, and reliable testing services that support product quality, food safety, and business performance. You will manage a small laboratory team, oversee accreditation requirements, drive continuous improvement initiatives, and act as the key technical contact for external regulatory and accreditation bodies.

Key responsibilities include:

• Managing laboratory operations across multiple locations.
• Leading and developing a team to ensure effective coverage and performance.
• Maintaining and strengthening laboratory quality management systems.
• Ensuring compliance with testing, sampling, calibration, and laboratory procedures.
• Managing NATA accreditation requirements and external audits.
• Identifying risks, investigating non-conformances, and implementing corrective actions.

Background

To be successful, you will bring:

• Tertiary qualifications in Microbiology or a related scientific discipline.
• Extensive laboratory experience within a food, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, or similar regulated environment.
• Demonstrated leadership experience managing and developing technical teams.
• Strong knowledge of laboratory quality systems, accreditation standards, and compliance requirements.
• Experience managing audits and regulatory relationships.

What's on Offer

• Opportunity to lead laboratory operations within a large-scale manufacturing environment.
• Broad technical and leadership scope across multiple sites.
• Exposure to continuous improvement and strategic quality initiatives.
• Supportive and collaborative culture focused on development and growth.